Inkwell or the like



Nov. 20, 1934. w. OWEN 1,981,281

INKWELL OR THE LIKE Filed March 21, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet l Y 18A 13A Nov. 20, 1934. G. w. OWEN 1,981,281

INKWELL OR THE LIKE I Filed March 21, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 6 60x396 Owen Patented Nov. 20, 1934 UNITED 1,981,281 INKWELL ORTHELIKE George 'w. Owen, Baum-ore, Md. Application March 21, 1934, Serial No. 716,655 a claims. (01. 120-49) This invention relates to an inkwell or other device for presenting fluid for consumption, at a predetermined level or depth.

An object of the invention is to provide a device of the above stated character, which includes means that quickly and conveniently may be actuated for maintaining a fluid at maximum level Within a well or reservoir.

Another object of the invention-is to provide a device of the type above referred to, which may be inexpensively manufactured and which requires no adjustments or repairs.

A further object 'of the invention isto provide a device of the above stated character, which may quickly and easily be cleaned when necessary.

The foregoing and other objects are attained by the means described herein and disclosed in the accompanying drawings, in which: i

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of one form of the device of this invention, the cap or cover being raised to expose the interior.

Fig. 2 is a fragmental cross-sectional view taken on line 2'2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a modified form of the device, said view being taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 4. I

Fig. 4 is a top view of the Fig. 3 device.

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a second 30 readiness-en. I p

Fig; 6 is a top view of the Fig. 5 device; with the cap er cover removed.

Fig; 7 is a top View of a third modification.

Fig. 8 is a cross sectional view taken on line The device of Figs. 1 and 2 is described as follows. The character 12 indicates a main shell or body, which may be formed of metal, glass, bakelite, hard rubber or any other suitable mate-'- rial, said shell or body having its interior shaped wholly or partly the form of a cylinder having the curved inner wall 13. The interior of the shell or body provides a main reservoir for ink or other fluid. Centrally of the body 12 is disposed asmall hollow cylinder or Well 14 having an open top 15 and a closed bottom 16, the top being preferably at an elevation below the top edge of the body 12. The central well may be formed integrally with the body or shellpif de sired, or it may be a separate part as will readily be understood.

A sleeve 17 having a radially extending wing or vane 18, encircles the well member 14 and may be rotated so as" to move the wing or vane toward.

and from a stationary partition or wall member 19. The member 19 has its back 20 integral with or closely fitted against the body 12 and maintained in position by means of any common fastening devices, for example, one or more screws 21. The inner vertical edge 22 of the partition slidingly abuts the smooth outer surface of sleeve 17, whereby to provide a substantially fluid-tight line of meeting between the partition and sleeve 1'7. The top of the partition preferably, though not necessarily, is grooved or dished to provide a trough orgutter 23 sloping toward the well 14.

From the foregoing it should readily be understood that rotation of the sleeve 17, with its vane or Wing 11} sliding upon the curved surface 13 in its movement toward the stationary partition 19,

will entrap any fluid held by the main reservoir and cause the entrapped fluid to rise above the level of the partition, whereupon said fluid will overflow into the smaller reservoir or well 1e and fillg the well. This result is obtained whether or not the partition is provided with a trough 23,

so long as the partition is slightly higher than the well 14 or sleeve '17. The device operates perfectly even though the amount of fluid in the main reservoir beverygsmall, as the wing 18 fiatly and fully abuts the partition upon contact there with.

As stated befo e, the partition 19 may be integral withthe body or shell 12, and with the bottom of said shell. When the partition is a 95 separateelement, the bottom 2l thereofis made to fit tightly against the bottom of the shell. The lower edge 25 of thewir g or fluid elevator 18 slides upon the smooth bottom of the shell or body and allows little if any leakage pastthe wing when advanced towardthe partition.

Any suitable means maybe provided for rotating the wing 18. A simple form of such means is disclosed in Fig. 1, wherein 26 represents a rotatable cover or cap for the shell, said cover or cap being provided with, an element 27 for pushing the wing along as the cap is rotated by the operator. The element 2' 7, which may be in the form of an extendingpin or projection on the cap, may enter a suitable opening or seat 28 carried by-the wing, or it may merely abut the wing when the cap isrotated. The part 27 may be constructed of slightly resilient material so as to preclude breakage of any parts in the event that the cap be rotated an amountgreaterthan is necessary to move the wing into position against the ,partition.

The cap or cover 26 may or may not be provided with a central aperture 29 to register with the open top of the well 14, for permitting insertion of a pen, brush, or other implement.

When provided with an aperture such as 29, the

cap may carry also a suitable'cover plate or other means for closing the aperture, if desired. In substantially the manner suggested by Fig. 5, the cap of Fig. 1 might be screw threaded onto the body, if desired.

Attention now is directed to the Fig. 3 modification, wherein the shell or body 12A has the partition or wall element, and also the well. 14A, formed integrally with the shell or body. This device differs from the Fig. 1 device also in that the wing or elevator plate 18A is pendent from the cover or cap 26A. The wing 18A has the same closely fitting relationship with the well and reservoir wall as was set worth in describing the Fig. 1 device, and in a like manner the rotational movement of the cover effects an overflow of fluid from the large reservoir 31, up and over into the well 14A. The depending mouth or tubular extension 32 of the cover precludes upward splashing of fluid when the device is actuated with the plug or closure member 33 removed. This anti-splashing means is one of many that may be employed, wherefore I do not desire to be limited to the one form illustrated.

The cover 26A may be maintained in position upon the outer shell by means of a suitable retaining ring 34, or, by any other practical means, and the rotating part 26A may be provided with abutments, ribs, or the like 35 whereby the operators fingers may readily grip the part to be rotated. -It may be observed that the general construction of the rotating means in Fig. 3 affords not only a rotational force 'for the cover but also a downward hand pressure which in-,

sures a leak-proof connection at 36,.while the cover is being rotated. Plug 33 may be a plain plug or a screw-threaded one as illustrated, however, the particular type of closure at this location is unimportant, and unless the appended claims specify the type of plug 33 to be employed, it is to be understood that various forms of closur means may be substituted. of the well The inclined or flared portion 37 opening provides a proper space or channel for the flow of fluid into the well when the device is actuated for replenishing the fluid of the well. The element 33A may be employed, if desired, to determine the extent to which an implement may enter the well.

extending wings or vanes 38. The bottom 16B of the well, and also the lower edges 38B of the wings, rest upon the bottom wall 39 of the outer shell or body 12B. The well and its wings are surrounded by a closely fitting but relatively'rotating cylinder or partition support 40. The partition elements- 41 ofsaid cylinder are equal in number to the wing elements of the well, and are interposed between them as shown in Fig. 6. The

cylindrical unit 40-41 is rotatable within the shell or body 123. It will therefore be evident that a quarter rotation of 143 relative to element 40, will effect the filling of the central well with fluid stored within the confines of cylinder 40, and that further rotation of 14B, in the same direction, will simply result in unitary rotation of both 1413 and 40.

Any suitable means may be provided for rotating the element 143 upon manual rotation of a the cover or cap 26B. For example, said cover may have a depending lug or projection 273 adapted to abut a face of one of the wings 38. Thus, each time that the cover is rotated, a filling of the well 143 must occur. It should be'observed that the lug 273 may influence the rotational movement of element 14B through a circle are longer than is necessary to complete a well-filling operation, but the additional movement is merely taken up by the rotating cylinder 40, until the lug 27B releases its hold upon a wing 38 by reason of upward movement of the cover during the unscrewing operation. Application of the cover, as well as the removal thereof, effects a filling of well 143. The adjacent faces of all of the wings 38 and 41 preferably are shaped to flatly and fully abut one another upon contacting, so as to exert a maximum squeezing action upon the fluid. It is of course possible to omit the threads 42 of the Fig. 5 device, if desired, or to apply the type of cover disclosed in Figs. 1 and 3.

In Figs. 7 and 8, 43 indicates a baseor body provided at one end with an interior curved wall 44 along which the traveling end 45 of a wing 46 is adapted to move for advancing fluid from the main reservoir 47 into an elevated channel or trough 48, whence said fluid may flow into a smaller reservoir or well 49. The wing or plate 46 is journaled in the side walls of the body as at 50 and 51, and a suitable actuating rod 52 may be provided for rotating the Wingor plate when the cap or cover 55 is rotated manually. The

covered element 53 hasan access opening 54in registry .with the well 49. As is clearly shown in Fig. 8, the elevated or terminal end of the curved wall 44 isspaced from the plate 56 sufilciently to permit overflow of fluid into the channel 48- and into the well 49. To refill or replenish the well, it is necessary only to impart a slight turn to the element 53-55. It may be noted that the device may be filled initially by pouring fluid into the well 49, without removing the parts 53 or 56.

It is to be understood that various modiflcations and changes in structural detailsof the devices may be made, within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is: I a

1. In a device of the class described, the combination'of a reservoir element for the storage of a fluid substance, a well of relatively small cross sectional, area normally out of fluid communication with but located within saidreservoir element, and means encircling said well and movable in a single plane through less than a complete circle and at the will of an operator, for replenishing the supply of fluid in the well with the fluid stored in the reservoir element. H

2. In a device of the class described, the combination of a reservoir element for the storage of a fluid substance, a well of relatively small capacity having its wall disposed within and below the top of the reservoir. element, and means to be operated intermittently for overflowing the fluid of the reservoir element over the wall of and into the interior of, said relatively small capacity well, said means being rotatable in a single plane through an are less than a complete circle.

3. In a device. of the class described, the combination of a' reservoir element for the storage of a fluid substance, a well of relatively small cross-sectional area normally out of fluid communication with said reservoir element, apartition wall between the interior of the reservoir-element and the exterior of the relatively small well, a cover supported m'ovably' relative to the reservoir element, and a fluid. elevating member movable with the cover and toward the partition wall within the reservoir element, for squeezing the fluid of the reservoir element upwardly and over into the well.

4. In a device of the class described, the combination of a reservoir element for the storage of a fluid substance, at well of relatively small cross-sectional area normally out of fluid communication with said reservoir element, a partition wall between the interior of the reservoir element and the exterior of the relatively small well, a cover supported movably relative to the reservoir element, a fluid elevating member movable with the cover and toward the partition wall within the reservoir element, for squeezing the fluid of the reservoir element upwardly and over into the well, and a member within the well for determining the extent to which an implement may be inserted therein.

5. In a device of the class described, the combination of a fluid storage reservoir element having an interior wall curved on the arc of an imaginary circle whose center is located within the confines of the reservoir element, a well of relatively small cross-sectional area normally out of fluid communication with said reservoir element, said Well including a curved outer wall portion concentric with and spaced from the curved interior wall of the reservoir element, a normally stationary partition at least as high as the well, extended radially from the well to the said curved interior wall of the reservoir element, and a radially extended wing movable toward the partition to entrap the reservoir fluid and force said fluid upwardly and over the wall of the well for filling said well.

6. In a device of the class described, the combination of a fluid storage reservoir element having an interior wall curved on the arc of an imaginary circle whose center is located within the confines of the reservoir element, a well of relatively small cross-sectional area normally out of fluid communication with said reservoir element, said well including a curved outer wall portion concentric with and spaced from the curved interior wall of the reservoir element, a normally stationary partition at least as high as the well, extended radially from the well to the said curved interior wall of the reservoir element, a radially extended wing movable toward the partition to entrap the reservoir fluid and force said fluid upwardly and over the wall of the well for filling said well, a movable cover for the reservoir element, and means operating to move the wing upon movement of the cover.

7. In a device of the class described, the combination of a reservoir element for the storage of a fluid substance, an open topped well of relatively small cross-sectional area disposed adjacent to the said reservoir element, a partition wall between the interior of the reservoir element and. the exterior of the relatively small well, an apertured cover supported above the well with the aperture thereof registering with the open top of the well, a fluid elevating member movable toward the partition wall within the reservoir element for squeezing the fluid of the reservoir element upwardly and over into the well, and means for precluding splashing of fluid from the well through the aperture of the cover upon the aforesaid movement of the fluid elevating member.

8. In a device of the class described, the combination of a reservoir element for the storage of a fluid substance, an open topped well of relatively small cross-sectional area disposed adjacent to the said reservoir element, a partition wall between the interior of the reservoir element and the exterior of the relatively small well, an apertured cover supported above the well with the aperture thereof registering with the open top of the well, a fluid elevating member movable toward the partition wall within the reservoir element for squeezing the fluid of the reservoir element upwardly and over into the well, means for precluding splashing of fluid from the well through the aperture of the cover upon the aforesaid movement of the fluid elevating member and means imparting movement of the cover to the fluid elevating member.

GEORGE W. OWEN. 

